June Stoop Party

Eight Streets continues the Summer of the Stoop and with out next stoop night this Saturday, June 27th.  Join us between 5:30 and 7:30 on Milford  Street and meet your neighbors.

Our stoop nights are a way to re-connect with your neighbors.  They harken back to the days before we were overworked and perpetually busy with technology.   Residents spent many events on their stoops enjoying the evening and chatting with neighbors and passer-bys.   (For more on our Stoop night resurgence, see our previous blog post.)

We're bringing back the tradition by holding stop nights in the summers.  We take a few nights each summer and focus on one of our neighborhood streets.

This Saturday we focus on Milford street.   If you live on Milford, come out and sit on your stoop and say hi to neighbors.   If you're from our other Eight Streets, walk on over to Milford and make some new friends!

To kick off the night, we have some host stoops who have promised to be on their stoops to meet and greet.   Look for the stoops with balloons.  Use our host stoops as a starting point for your evening, but don't feel confined by our host stoops - walk the street and say hi to everyone!!

Hope to see you there!

Saturday, June 27th
5:30-7:30pm
Milford street.

Printable flier here.

June Business meeting

Our next business meeting is Tuesday, June 9th, at Project Place (Corner of Washington & East Berkeley).   Enter in the door next to Meyers and Chang  Please arrive before 7:30, as the external doors lock at that time.  

Meeting format:

6:30-7 - Social Networking.   Meet your neighbors in an informal setting.
7-8:30 - Business meeting.


Two local projects are on the agenda this month.   Both 4 Ringgold and 287 Shawmut have projects that affect the rear of their respective buildings.  The projects' rear yards nearly abut each other.  This is also a section where buildings are very close to each other.  Both projects have abutters concerned about light, excavation and water from to-be-installed groundwater recharging.    

We encourage abutters of this block to attend to discuss these two projects.


Bernard will give a presentation on the fundraising efforts of the Dog Run within Peters Park.   They are in the midst of a fundraising campaign to raise money for both a rehab of the surface in the dog park, as well as establishing a reserve for maintenance and future repairs.

While it is in Peters Park, the dog run is privately funded - Parks Department doe snot do maintenance now repair of the dog park - all that is done with volunteers and fundraising.   for more information or if you'd like to contribute to the Dog park funs, please see peterspark.org.  


June also brings us our annual elections for ESNA officers.   The current slate (John, Michael, Ted & Bernard) will be running for office for the 15-16 year.    We will also be discussing changes in ESNA leadership.   We'd like to bring more people onto the board to help spread out responsibilities and increase ESNA neighborhood outreach.


Hope to see everyone there.



Remember to visit us on Facebook as well - get more local notices and photos from all our events.

Hope to see everyone there!

Join us on Social Media
Our Google Calendar
Our Facebook page
ESNA Twitter feed

May business meeting

Our next business meeting is Tuesday, May 12th, at Project Place (Corner of Washington & East Berkeley).   Enter in the door next to Meyers and Chang  Please arrive before 7:30, as the external doors lock at that time.  

Meeting format:

6:30-7 - Social Networking.   Meet your neighbors in an informal setting.
7-8:30 - Business meeting.


A project at 4 Ringgold will also come to the neighborhood looking for project support.  The project seeks to expand on the existing rear "L" such that it wills the entire year.   Abutters to the project are encouraged to attend.


Two local speakers will be joining us.  More than Words - a non-profit empowering youth through business training.   MTW has a location on East Berkeley Street and a presence at the Sunday SoWa Market.

Also joining us is the Huntington Ave YMCA.   The NU Dorm Construction allowed the Y to completely rehab their gym space.   See what the Y can do for you.



Remember to visit us on Facebook as well - get more local notices and photos from all our events.

Hope to see everyone there!

Join us on Social Media
Our Google Calendar
Our Facebook page
ESNA Twitter feed

Parks & Cleanups

Hi everyone,

Boston Shines

Mark your calendars - next Saturday come join your neighbors as Eight Streets takes part in Boston Shines.  This year we'll be cleaning out Watson park, as well as the alleys between Shawmut and Bone, and Shawmut and Taylor.   We'll also give a hand where we can with cleanups going on in Ringgold and Peters parks.   The city will provide bags and tools (ad hopefully some gloves) - we just need the manpower.

Join us and help put a Shine on the southern end of our neighborhood.   After the cleanup, Friends on Ringgold is hosting a pot luck and plant sale in the park from 11:30-2

A Flier for the Boston Shines cleanups can be found here.

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Watson Park

Speaking of Watson Park, the city has arranged for an in-park community meeting.  The BRA ad Parks Dept. will be there, so we hope to get an update  on the status of transferring the park to Parks.  The meeting is this Wednesday at 6pm in the park.   We hope abutters and interested neighbors can attend.

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Facebook

The South End Forum has created a presence on Facebook.  They have a Page for announcement and such, and a Group which is an open community board where anyone can post.   Visit both if you'd like to keep up on South End-wide information

South End FB Page.

South End FB Community Group.

and of course, the Eight Streets FB Page.

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Hope we can see you this week:

• Wednesday, April 29, Watson Park Meeting.  6pm in the park.
• Saturday, May 2, Boston Shines.  8:30-noon.  Meet at Watson Park
• Saturday, May 2, Ringgold Park Pot Luck and Plant Sale, 11:30-2

April business meeting

Our next business meeting is Tuesday, Aril 14th at Project Place (Corner of Washington & East Berkeley).   Enter in the door next to Meyers and Chang  Please arrive before 7:30, as the external doors lock at that time.  

Meeting format:

6:30-7 - Social Networking.   Meet your neighbors in an informal setting.
7-8:30 - Business meeting.


Our guest speaker is Frank O'Brien from the Boston's Department of Public Works.   Bring your questions and concerns for an open discussion.  (Paving, sidewalks, snow, crosswalks....)

Louane of Taylor st will update us on Watson park proposed improvements not that all the construction adjacent to the park is over.

We also have home improvement projects at 1 and 4 Ringgold street.  There will be an on-site abutters meeting at 6pm tomorrow.  Springer architects will then come to the business to talk to the general membership about the project.

We'll also discuss Boston Shines - there are several cleanups planned for the neighborhood this Spring

Remember to visit us on Facebook as well - get more local notices and photos from all our events.

Hope to see everyone there!

Join us on Social Media
Our Google Calendar
Our Facebook page
ESNA Twitter feed

March Business Meeting

Our next business meeting is Tuesday, March 10th at Project Place (Corner of Washington & East Berkeley).   Enter in the door next to Meyers and Chang  Please arrive before 7:30, as the external doors lock at that time.  

Meeting format:

6:30-7 - Neighborhood Networking.   Meet your neighbors in an informal setting.
7-8:30 - Business meeting.


Our guest speaker will be state representative Aaron Michlewitz.   After some words from Aaron, the floor will be open for your questions, so bring any State Government questions with you.

Proposed local business Shawmut Yoga should be joining us to speak about their planned opening on Shawmut ave.   Feedback form abutters is welcome.    Bernard will let us know about some Peters park fundraising coming up.   And Michael will have a discussion and round table about Spring and summer planning, as well as 2015 neighborhood goals.


Remember to visit us on Facebook as well - get more local notices and photos from all our events.

Hope to see everyone there!

Join us on Social Media
Our Google Calendar
Our Facebook page
ESNA Twitter feed

No February meeting; Clean that snow

With yet another large accumulation on our doorstep, the February ESNA Business meeting has been cancelled.   We'll resume our monthly schedule on Tuesday, March 10th.     However, if anyone is interested maybe we can have an ESNA social night and complain about the snow while having some fun - Foleys has Trivia on Tuesdays, and Cathedral Station has trivia on Wednesdays...  let us know if this sounds interesting.

Speaking of snow, thanks to all ESNA residents who are clearing away all this snow.   Most of the sidewalks are looking pretty good, given the amount of snow we've been getting.   NA leaders are in contact with DPW to try and get some of the larger snow accumulations in the neighborhood removed, but as you might expect, the entire city is asking for the same.   But many City snow piles are blocking crosswalks, which can create a safety issue.

Please remember to help your neighbors whenever you can.  The 3rd storm in as many weeks is taking a toll on all of us, so help out any neighbor who might needs some shoveling assistance.   Don't forget crosswalks, trash cans and mailboxes when shoveling as well.   That can sometimes include re-shoveling crosswalks when the plow comes around again.   With no warm weather on the horizon, any path we shovel now we'll be stuck with for a number of weeks.

Even more important is clearing our Fire hydrants.   As you've seen in the news, Firefighters have had numerous instances of arriving at a fire only to have to waste valuable time digging out hydrants.   While most of our hydrants have had a basic shoveling, remember a firefighter needs to work around the hydrant.  They need a path from the hydrant to the street (we tend to shovel form the sidewalk tot he hydrant, but the firetrucks are in the streets, not on the sidewalks).   They also need to have access to attaches hoses, so at least 3 feet on either side of the hydrant are needed.   The image on the left shows a hydrant that has been cleared well.     The city has a database of Hydrants and Catch basins.   Check out the site here to find where these resources are in our neighborhood.    *Flash required to see the map)


The city snow page are your resource for the latest snow emergencies, trash pickup delays,  and other weather related information.


And, as always, stay safe.

January Business meeting

Our next business meeting is Tuesday, January 13th at Project Place (Corner of Washington & East Berkeley).   Enter in the door next to Meyers and Chang  Please arrive before 7:30, as the external doors lock at that time.  

Meeting format:

6:30-7 - Neighborhood Networking.   Meet your neighbors in an informal setting.
7-8:30 - Business meeting.


Unfortunately, our guests for this week have cancelled.   The mayor's State of the City was scheduled tonight, so our speaker and all backups had to cancel.   Aaron will be attending our February meeting.

This meeting we'll discuss neighborhood updates & committee planning.   Chilly as it is, Spring is around the corner.  What activities, neighborhood events or cleanup/beautification projects would you like to see happen in the neighborhood?



A reminder that NA membership must be renewed every Fall.   If you have not renewed your membership, please Head to the ESNA Membership Page.  There you can join on-line with your credit card, or print out a membership form to mail in with a cheque.  Members joining now will be valid through August 2015.

Remember to like us on Facebook as well - get more local notices and photos from all our events.

Hope to see everyone there!

Join us on Social Media
Our Google Calendar
Our Facebook page
ESNA Twitter feed

Snow & Space Savers

Starting this winter, (2014-2015) the South End is now a "space saver free" zone.

If the city receives significant amounts of snowfall, and you shovel out your car that is parked on the public street, you not be allowed to reserve that space by putting a household item in the spot to hold it until you return.

Some history

Saving the spot you have shoveled out has been a unique habit that used to be confined to South Boston.   A few years ago space savers made the news and caused a hubbub.  At that time the previous administration gave it's OK to space savers, saying they could only stay on the street for 48 hours after the snow storm.  (People were using space savers to save a spot all winter, even long after the snow was gone).  But with this formal announcement the sue of space savers proliferated throughout the city, form the South End to Alston to Hyde park.

Why now?

In general, the streets are public and they should be available to anyone at any time to park their car. But more than just the private taking of a public spot for private use, the space saver system itself is being abused.    People are using space saves without a snow storm.  (yes, we we got he half inch of snow that immediately melted, people has space savers out).  But on top of that is the violence.   People have had their cars vandalized when they parked in a spot that someone else thought they had saved.   Every year brings stories of fist fights, slashed tires and broken windshields.

Last year the South End Forum started a pilot program to discourage space savers.  (Winter had started already and the city didn't want to change policy mid season).    With the 2014 season about to start, and the new mayoral administration, the city agreed to have the South End be a space saver free zone.

Starting this year, South End residents are being discouraged from putting out space savers.   Anyone seeing a space saver can remove it, or call the city and they will remove it.  On trash days the city will automatically remove any space saver.

Hopefully this will not only be fairer for everyone, but prevent some of the violence seen elsewhere (someone has already had their tires slashed this year and we haven't even gotten any significant snowfall).

The new South End policy did make Channel 5 news tonight, as well as an article in the Globe this weekend (paywall).   We've also put some of the posters (as above) in a PDF that you can download and hand out if you wish.

And since we'll have out first measurable (non melting) snow on Tuesday, here is an older blog post covering sidewalk clearing after a snowfall.

December business meeting

Our next business meeting is Tuesday, December 9th at our new meeting space at Project Place (Corner of Washington & East Berkeley.   Enter in the door next to Meyers and Chang)  Please arrive before 7:30, as the external doors lock at that time.  

Meeting format:

6:30-7 - Neighborhood Networking.   Meet your neighbors in an informal setting.
7-8:30 - Business meeting.

Our planned guest for this month has not confirmed yet, so we'll try to have them at a future meeting.  This month we'll continue to focus on planning and neighborhood news.  I'll also have the latest news on the Frontage road shelter.


We'll wrap up the meeting with additional neighborhood news and updates.



A reminder that NA membership must be renewed every Fall.   If you have not renewed your membership, please Head to the ESNA Membership Page.  There you can join on-line with your credit card, or print out a membership form to mail in with a cheque.  Members joining now will be valid through August 2015.

Remember to like us on Facebook as well - get more local notices and photos from all our events.

Hope to see everyone there!

Join us on Social Media
Our Google Calendar
Our Facebook page
ESNA Twitter feed

Alley cleanup this Saturday (11/22)

November Business Meeting

Our next business meeting is Tuesday, November 11 at our new meeting space at Project Place (Corner of Washington & East Berkeley.   Enter in the door next to Meyers and Chang)  Please arrive before 7:30, as the external doors lock at that time.  

Meeting format:

6:30-7 - Neighborhood Networking.   Meet your neighbors in an informal setting.
7-8:30 - Business meeting.

Our agenda for this month centers around neighborhood planning for the upcoming year, including

Committees - what our committees did last year, and what their plans and goals are for the coming year

Neighborhood investment - what neighborhood activities or projects would you like to see in the coming year

What guest speakers would you like to see in the coming year.

We'll wrap up the meeting with additional neighborhood news and updates.

A reminder that NA membership must be renewed every Fall.   If you have not renewed your membership, please Head to the ESNA Membership Page.  There you can join on-line with your credit card, or print out a membership form to mail in with a cheque.  Members joining now will be valid through August 2015.

Remember to like us on Facebook as well - get more local notices and photos from all our events.

Hope to see everyone there!

Join us on Social Media
Our Google Calendar
Our Facebook page
ESNA Twitter feed

Vote - 2014

Celebrate the end of political commercials by going out to vote next Tuesday on November 4th.

Eight Streets (Ward 3 Precinct 7) votes at Cathedral High School, located at Waltham and Washington streets.   Polls are open from 7am-8pm.

Of course, the Governor is a big contest this election, as well as several important state questions.

Our Representative in Congress (Capuano) and our Representative in the State House (Aaron) are unopposed.   Our state senator (Chang-Diaz) does have an opponent.

Click here for a list of all candidates on the ballot.

Click here for a summary of the Questions to vote on.

October NA meeting

Welcome Back

Our next business meeting is This Tuesday, Oct 14 at our new meeting space at Project Place (Corner of Washington & East Berkeley.   Enter in the door next to Meyers and Chang)

Meeting format:

6:30-7 - Neighborhood Networking.   Meet your neighbors in an informal setting.
7-8:30 - Business meeting.

On the agenda this month:

• Nectar & Green - new business proposal for Shawmut Ave
• Personal best Fitness - new business proposal at Castle Square
• South End Temperature Study
• Groundwater Update:   17 Bond & 9 Milford

Hello everyone, and welcome back to Eigth Streets.    As mentioned in the email last month, we have had to change location for our monthly meetings, and thus meeting days.  We will continue to meet on the 2nd Tuesday of the month at Project Place.   The building is at the corner of Washington & East Berkeley.   The meeting room is on the 2nd floor - enter via the door next to Meyers and Chang.

Please arrive before 7:30, as the external doors lock at that time.  

We have quite a variety on our agenda this month.    We start with two businesses.   Personal Best Fitness looks to open in Castle Square.   Although just outside ESNA, they are seeking wider NA support for the zoning changes they need.   A vote will be taken.

We also got late notice that Urbanity Dance on Shawmut is leaving, and a  juice bar will like to move in.   Nectar and Green will be coming to the meeting to provide us information only.  We hope to have an on-site meeting this month with abutters to see if there is support for the business and the variances they need.

What do you get when two dozen residents carry around temperature sensors for a week?  Find out as we see the research that was collected for this study.

And development projects at 17 Bond and 9 Milford will present their groundwater plans for those projects (Still waiting confirmation on this agenda item)

We'll wrap up the meeting with additional neighborhood news and updates.


A reminder that NA membership must be renewed every Fall.   Head to the ESNA Membership Page.  There you can join on-line with your credit card, or print out a membership form to mail in with a cheque.  Members joining now will be valid through August 2015.

Remember to like us on Facebook as well - get more local notices and photos from all our events.

Hope to see everyone there!

Join us on Social Media
Our Google Calendar
Our Facebook page
ESNA Twitter feed

Fall Pot Luck: Sunday 9/14

With a cloudy/rainy afternoon forecast, Pot Luck has been moved to Sunday.

The heat has broken, and Fall is in the air.   A perfect time for a Picnic.

Come help us celebrate the start of the ESNA calendar year at a neighborhood Pot Luck & BBQ.  We'll have a grill with some burgers and dogs, but we're counting on you to make it interesting.   Bring your favorite dish to share with your neighbors!  

But most of all, bring a friend or a neighbor.   Meet your fellow Eight Streeters.   Learn more about the association.   Share ideas on how we can improve our neighborhood.

Join us on Sunday, September 14th from 4-6 in Ringgold Park.   

Please RSVP to potluck@eightstreets.org to let us know you're coming, what you can bring, and if you can volunteer additional time for setup, cleanup, and even manning the grill!   

Even if you can't RSVP or aren't a good cook, come on down and meet everyone!   

Complete details can be found on our pot luck web page.

Not sure if you're in Eight Streets?   Check out Neighborhood Map.

August Stoop Night

Eight Streets continues the Summer of the Stoop and holds it's next official stoop night this Thursday, August 28th.

Join us between 6 and 7:30 on Waltham Street and meet your neighbors.   If you live on Waltham, some out and sit on your stoop and say hi to neighbors.   If you're from our other Eight Streets, head over to Waltham and make some new friends!

To kick off the night, we have some host stoops who have promised to be out to meet and greet.   Host Stoops can be identified by balloons, but don't feel confined by our host stoops - walk the street and say hi to everyone!!

For more on our Stoop night resurgence, see our previous blog post.

Thursday, August 28th
6-7:30pm
Waltham street.

Register for the Primaries

If you are new to the area, you have until August 20th to register to vote in order to participate in the
September primaries.

City Press Release on voter registration.

Election information for Boston.

Trash changes begin this week

A reminder that the new trash collection procedures begin this week.  This includes

• Earlier trash pickup
• Recycling on Tuesday and Friday
• Discouraging small blue bins in favor of clear plastic bags

New trash collection begins this Tuesday, July 1st.  

We've been promised earlier trash pickup, with collection beginning at 7am.   They may not be at your door at 7am, but expect much earlier pickup than we have been getting used to.  It will be a few weeks for their schedule and routine to flush out, so don't count on tomorrow's pickup being "the" time for all future pickups.

Get your trash out on time in the morning, or as late as possible the night before.  The less time your trash is on the street, the cleaner our streets will be.  The following links should help you our on your trash endeavours.  

Previous blog entry on new trash rules.

Facebook album of trash Do's and Don'ts.

City web site with trash and recycling rules.

Changes to trash collection

The South End is getting a new city trash contractor/service, and there will be some changes coming to the neighborhood on July 1st.

Briefly:

• Recycling will be picked up on both trash days, Tuesday & Friday
• Trash pickup begins at 7am
• Small blue bins are being phased out.

These changes will begin on Tuesday, July 1, 2014.   The city will be delivering fliers to all homes and sending out postcards to all residents to inform them of the change.

The Details:

The city has several different trash contracts covering different areas of the city.   The existing trash contract has been extended several times, so the city took this opportunity to ask for bids for new contracts.  Sunrise Scavenger of Hyde Park has won the contract for all downtown trash pickup.

Recycling

The biggest change is something we have been asking for - Recycling collection on both trash days. Single stream recycling means most of us now have more recycling than we do trash, and we no longer have to save it until Tuesday.  (And, those who put recycling out on Friday now will have it recycled, and not thrown in the trash).  

A reminder that Recycling can only be put out in clear plastic bags.    The city is discontinuing the small blue bins, and eventually will just take them away.  it is too easy for them to be kicked over, overflowing, or have paper blown out of them - all making the street a mess.  We ask that you no longer use small blue bins.   If you do use a blue bin, and the recycling is above the lip of the bin, you will get a trash ticket.  If you want to 'throw out' your blue bin, put it IN a clear bag, and they should take it away.    If you have one of the larger wheeled blue bins with a cover, they are fine and can continue to be used.


Pick-up times

Another big change is early trash collection.  No more trash pickups going on until 3pm.   Trash pickup will being at 7am, although at this time we don't know if they will start in the South End at 7am, and if both Thursday and Friday will be at the same times.   Most of that will be ironed out as they iron the kinks out of the new service.  

The less time trash is on the street, the less chance trash will become litter due to picking, animals, bad disposal, etc.   Early pickup means the trash is on our street during fewer daylight hours.   We ask residents to put trash and recycling out "as late as you can" to minimize trash curb time form our end.   If you can, put trash out as you go to work in the morning.   If that's too early for you, then put it curbside as late as you can the night before.  the less time we have trash curbside, the better.

Proper trash disposal

Trash collection is only half the battle.   Keeping streets clean is our re
sponsibility as well.  Some guidelines will help you be a good trash citizen.

• Put trash out as late as you can - first thing in the morning is best
• Use a proper household trash bag that can be tied closed.  City regulations say .9mil thickness minimum.   
• Using take-out bags, foodies/cvs/shaws bags for trash or recycling is not acceptable.  Using these bags will get you a ticket.
• For big items and electronics, call the city before putting them out (617.635.4500)
• Place Recycling in clear plastic bags only.  No putting paper out in paper bags, no open cardboard boxes.
• Break down all boxes and lie them flat!  open boxes collect trash, and will get you a ticket
• After trash day, clean in front of your home.   if everyone cleaned the sidewalk in front of their building, our neighborhood would be spotless!

See out facebook page for images of trash Do's and Don'ts for putting out trash

For full trash rules and information, see the city trash web site.

June Stoop Night

The 6/13 stoop night has been cancelled due to rain.   

Since there is a continued chance of rain on Saturday, we'll hold this stoop night on another weekend.

While waiting for our next official stoop event, feel free to sit on your front steps on any warm night and say hi to your neighbors!

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Original notice:

Eight Streets continues the Summer of the Stoop and holds it's next official stoop night this Friday, June 13th.  Join us between 6 and 7:30 on Waltham Street and meet your neighbors.   If you live on Waltham, some out and sit on your stoop and say hi to neighbors.   If you're from other Eight Streets, head over to Waltham and make some new friends!

To kick off the night, we have some host stoops who have promised to be out to meet and greet.   You can stop by 84, 88 and 92 Waltham, as well as 89 and 91.  But don't feel confined by our host stoops - walk the street and say hi to everyone!!

For more on our Stoop night resurgence, see our previous blog post.

Friday, June 13th
6-7:30pm
Waltham street.